How Can Love Survive?
by gothicbutterfly95
Summary: In a world that's disappearing, will Maria and Georg's honeymoon experiences be enough to keep them together? The sequel to Love Isn't Love 'Til You Give It Away; but can be read as a separate fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay here it is, at long-last; the ever important honeymoon fic and follow up to _Love Isn't Love 'Til You Give It Away_. Despite the ominous title and description this fic will not be a depressing one. And with that being said...**

* * *

The train pulled up at Gare du Nord at ten o'clock in the morning. Once Maria and Georg had exited the train and collected their luggage, they sought out a public telephone and Georg ordered a car to come pick them up and drive them to their hotel.

Both of them were eager to arrive at their hotel, and not just because they'd been on a train since the previous day; Maria had insisted that they wait until their arrival in Paris before they make love for the first time and even though it meant waiting for approximately ten hours, Georg was more than happy to comply.

When the car arrived fifteen minutes later, the driver helped them load their bags into the back of the car and enquired as to where he needed to drive them. Georg responded in flawless French and then joined Maria in the back seat.

* * *

By the time the car had pulled up in front of the Hotel Montalembert the sky had darkened immensely. When Maria and Georg had left the railway station, the sky had been filled with huge light-grey clouds. Now they had severely darkened.

As soon as Maria and Georg had stepped out of the car they were caught in a torrential downpour. They looked at each other for a split second before they were in each other's arms, kissing fiercely, oblivious to the world around them. They were both soaked to the skin, but at present couldn't care less. The doorman's jaw dropped open at the sight of the couple kissing in the rain.

"Maybe we should take this upstairs," Maria murmured against Georg's lips. Despite being filled with passion on the inside, she couldn't help shivering slightly.

Georg pulled away from his wife and looked at her knowingly. He hoped that he was thinking the same thing as her. He was pretty sure he was.

* * *

Now that they had arrived up at their suite, Maria's passion had quietened, only to be replaced by nerves. On top of that, pretend as she might, having stood out in the rain earlier was affecting her, and she was still shivering. Georg was shivering too, although he seemed to be a little better at hiding it.

"I'll dry my clothes out here and change into something else," Georg announced as he placed their wet luggage in front of the crackling fire. "You go ahead and use the bathroom."

Maria protested, but her husband would hear nothing of it. Once she was in the bathroom, Maria peeled off her red tunic-style dress and pink jumper. Then, remembering something she said to Liesl on her first night as the children's governess, she put her clothes to soak in the bathtub before turning on the shower and stepping into the warm water.

Soon, as was often the case, she became lost in her own little world and began singing a little tune she had made up on the spot, without even realising it. Her whole life, she had found that the sound of music relaxed her more than anything else.

* * *

When Georg heard her angelic voice floating out of the bathroom, he felt himself being pulled towards her almost independently of his own free will. He completely forgot he was halfway through changing his clothes, and despite opening the door as gently as he possibly could, it still took all of Maria's power not to scream at seeing him walk through the door in nothing but his underwear.

"May I join you?" he asked her.

Maria was still slightly startled at this unexpected interruption, but she trusted Georg with her life and nodded slightly, showing him she had understood, and agreed to his request. However she still felt the need to turn away while he stripped off completely and stepped into the shower behind her.

"I thought that you were going to change out by the fire," she said, her back still towards him.

"Mm hmm, I was," he murmured. "But your voice is mesmerising. And when I hear it, all I can think about is telling you how beautiful it is. Along with everything else about you, my darling."

He wound hands around Maria's waist, causing her to inhale sharply. She was still nervous, but her earlier passion had returned and she wanted to show Georg how far she had come since that night in the gazebo.

She pulled his hands away from where they had settled around her waist and turned around so that she was facing him. Then, just like back in the gazebo, she brought her arms up to rest at the back of his neck, pressing her mouth to his as she did so.

* * *

Georg's arms were back around her middle in a flash, but this time instead of staying there, he let them slowly follow the trails of water running down her body and come to rest on her hips.

Maria inhaled again, but she didn't stop covering Georg's mouth with kisses every second she could. She felt the moment intensify as he began kissing her back. She removed her hands from where they were clasped behind her husband's neck and slowly moved her hands down his arms before bringing them to rest on his chest.

That simple act spurred Georg on even more and he raised his hands off Maria's, his back up over her stomach and up to her chest. He heard her moan softly against his lips and his internal fire burned even hotter.

* * *

Neither of them was entirely sure on how long they were in the shower together, devouring each other with hungry, but tender kisses, but eventually they did emerge, and after wrapping their bodies in fluffy towels, returned to the main room of the suite to get dressed.

Towards the end of the engagement, Maria had given her wardrobe a major overhaul. Despite Georg trying to convince her that he didn't want her to be a typical Baroness and that he was marrying her because of his love for her, she knew that she should at least try to make some effort to fit into the world she would soon be entering.

And so most over her wardrobe had been discarded, and replaced by more elegant, matronly clothes. She had kept a couple of her select favourites, like her blue Edelweiss dress and her Laendler dress, but most of her outfits, including those she had made upon her arrival at the von Trapp villa, she had given to the poor. This time, they did want everything.

* * *

Once they were both changed; Georg in a fresh suit and Maria in a white dress with violet flowers and a purple sash, they called for lunch to be brought up to their suite, as the rain was still falling quite heavily and, even though they would have both jumped at the chance to have another shower together, they didn't like the idea of venturing back out into the storm for a second time that day.

As they sat in the dining room of their hotel suite eating their meal, Maria stared dreamily out the window, gazing at the beautiful view; a view she never believed in her wildest dreams that she would ever see with her own eyes.

"This really is exciting for me Georg," she sighed. "Being here with you. Paris is such a gorgeous city. I never comprehended I would ever visit it. I always figured I would die having never left Austria. And now, here I am on my honeymoon, in Paris, with you."

He smiled at her, chuckling softly.

"Where did you and Agathe go for your honeymoon?" Maria asked. Immediately, she realised what she had said and her hands flew up to her face to cover her scarlet cheeks. "Oh, Georg, I'm so, so sorry," she said. "Pretend I never said that."

"No, no, don't worry," Georg said. "You deserve to know more than anyone. And talking about Agathe must be a good thing for me to do." He took a deep breath before he started talking again. "Agathe and I went to England for our honeymoon and visited lots of her relatives. We also stayed in Wales for the last weekend before we returned home. It was just at the end of the war. We were married in 1918."

* * *

Quickly Maria and Georg were lost in various topics of meaningless conversation and before they knew it the sun was sinking lower in the sky. The rain had long since stopped and so Maria and Georg decided to go into the city for dinner. When they returned to their hotel, Maria headed into the bathroom for the second time since their arrival that morning. She had been so busy before with sharing the shower with Georg that she doubted very much if she actually managed to clean herself at all.

She emerged half an hour later dressed in a full length, white silk nightgown and a lemon chiffon dressing gown. Georg couldn't help whistling as he passed her on his way to the bathroom. When he emerged twenty minutes later, he found Maria sitting out on the balcony, gazing up at the starlit heavens.

"Beautiful isn't it?" she said to herself.

"They don't even compare to you," Georg said, walking up behind her. She gasped and turned around to face him. When she saw the expression on his face, she gasped even more. This was their first night together as a married couple and she knew what was next on the agenda.

But when, she looked up at Georg again, his expression had changed, showing nothing but pure love. Although on the inside he was itching to rip off all Maria's clothes right here right now, crawl into bed with her and show her just how precious he thought she was, he knew he had to take it slowly, just like everything else he did with her. At seeing her husband looking at her with pure adoration, Maria relaxed, knowing everything would be fine. After the experience before lunch, the doubts; all the worries that had been previously on Maria's mind had vanished. The next step terrified her, but at the same time, it thrilled her.

Georg offered her his hand and she let him lead her back inside and into the bedroom, ready for the start of their new life together.

* * *

**Okay, I hope you guys liked it. There's more coming, but I am not sure exactly when, as I've got a whole bunch of family stuff going on at the moment. But it is coming. The 'kissing in the rain thing' was actually something Julie and Blake Edwards did (I'm pretty sure they were even in Paris). Then they came back and saw the same doorman. I also know that Georg and Agathe were married much earlier than 1918, but I edited it to fit the timeline of the film. Where they went for their honeymoon is my imagination as well.**

**I love comments. They make my day. **


	2. Chapter 2

When Maria woke up the next morning, the other side of the bed was empty. And if it weren't for the fact she was lying in a bed twice the size and twice as comfortable as the one she usually slept in, she might have thought she was back in the governess' room at the villa, or even at the Abbey. But as her eyes adjusted to her surroundings and she took in the large, luxurious bedroom of the hotel suite, it all became clear as crystal and all the memories of her engagement, her wedding and the first night of her honeymoon returned to her.

Somehow every new experience with Georg seemed to be more amazing than the one before it. Dancing with him at the party had been sweet. When he found her outside the gazebo that night and proclaimed his love for her, she had felt like a girl for the first time in her life. Walking down the aisle to become Baroness von Trapp, Maria didn't think life could get any better. But then last night, when he made love to her, he made her feel like she was more precious than anything else on Earth.

Her eyes surveyed the room from where she lay in bed. As she looked to her left she saw the doors to the balcony were ajar and her husband was standing outside.

* * *

Even though he had been retired from the Navy for quite some time, Georg had never abandoned his 'wake up to the sun' routine. So when he awoke naturally he found his wife was still sleeping peacefully beside him.

He had slipped out of bed as quietly as he could manage so he didn't wake Maria up as he went about his morning routine. She was still sound asleep when he emerged from the bathroom after his shower. He fought the urge to bend over and kiss her forehead, for fear of disturbing the serenity that was her sleeping. So he tiptoed past the bed and went to sit out on the balcony and get some fresh air.

The memories of the previous night tumbled around in his head as well. Maria had brought him back to life when she came into his world; something Elsa could never possibly have managed. He had once told her that she had brought some meaning back into his life; had been his saviour. But she wasn't. Maria was his saviour. Elsa had simply been a distraction. And last night he hadn't had to restrain himself any longer, allowing him to show Maria just how much he treasured her.

* * *

Maria lay on her side and watched Georg from afar for a little while, marvelling at the fact that this really could be happening to her. Eventually Georg turned around to re-enter the room and found his wife awake, lying in bed, dazing dreamily in his direction.

"How are you feeling, my darling?" he asked, sitting down beside her on the bed and planting a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Magnificent," she said. "Really magnificent. Thank you for last night Georg. I didn't even know it was possible for a person to have those kinds of feelings. "

Georg chuckled at her comment – she was still completely inexperienced to this world, but if last night was any indication she was incredibly eager and would only get more confident as their relationship progressed.

"Oh yes," he said. "That is the greatest part of married life; getting to experience these emotions and knowing they are all caused by the person you've chosen to spend your life with."

"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who is finding it hard to believe this is all real," she said. "I'm still so new to all of this that I don't think I could bear it if you didn't at least feel something."

"Well then, you'll be happy to know that you make me feel more than something," Georg said. "You make me feel amazing."

He cupped her cheeks and brought her face towards his, kissing her softly, but firmly on the lips. She responded immediately by wrapping her arms around him, drawing their bodies closer together.

"If being with you is this much fun inside the hotel suite, I can't wait to find out what it's like out there in the city of love," Maria sighed as their lips parted and she rested her head on his shoulder. "Let's go out right now."

"Uh, Maria, you might want to think about putting some clothes on," Georg said.

Maria gasped as she looked down at herself and realised she was completely naked. Clearly, she had been so caught up in the moment the previous night that it had completely slipped her mind to get dressed after she and Georg had finished making love and she had just fallen asleep in her birthday suit; her nightgown and dressing gown carelessly tossed onto the glory box at the foot of the bed. She felt her cheeks turn bright red and she pulled her signature 'oh dear' face – her eyes wide and her mouth forming a huge O.

Quickly, not even bothering with the fact that Georg was watching her every move, she bounded out of bed, still naked, walked over and opened the closet, grabbed the first outfit she could get her hands on and made a dash for the bathroom.

* * *

Georg was still sitting on the bed waiting for her when she exited the bathroom dressed in a brown skirt suit. She was trying to hide her previous embarrassment; but it was obvious she hadn't got passed it. From Maria's vantage point, all the women of Austrian aristocracy seemed to be able to keep their emotions in check. Her honeymoon hadn't even been going for twenty-four hours and she could not seem to control herself. How on Earth would she be able to be a credit to Georg if she couldn't navigate her way around his world?

Georg, however, didn't seem fazed at all by his wife's actions. "Agathe did the very same thing on our honeymoon," he assured her. "Maria, you can walk around the hotel suite in your birthday suit every day and it won't bother me at all."

"So, does that mean people like the Baroness feel the same emotions we felt last night?" Maria asked innocently.

"Yes," he replied. "When two people are in love these feelings are to be expected."

I'm glad," she sighed, before sitting down beside Georg on the bed and giving him a soft kiss.

* * *

After finishing their breakfast, Maria and Georg left the hotel and headed out into the city. They had to stop every couple of minutes as there would be something new that Maria would notice that would demand her attention, and by the time they had arrived at the Louvre a whole hour had passed. Georg didn't mind though; he had visited both Paris and the Louvre before and was perfectly happy for his wife to observe whatever took her fancy.

* * *

When they left the Louvre two and a half hours later to seek out a cafe for lunch, Maria was still marvelling at all the amazing masterpieces she had just seen; from the world-renowned _Mona Lisa_, to the armless statue of _Venus de Milo_ to _The Turkish Bath_; which Maria found somewhat confronting, but was interested in nonetheless.

"I'm glad you liked it, Maria," Georg said as they settled in a little cafe by the Notre Dame. When the waiter came around, Georg looked reassuringly at his wife, before answering the waiter in fluent French. Not knowing much more than the very basics of the language, Maria was helpless to do anything but sit there in silence.

They ate in relative silence as well, but they were gazing at each other more often than not. The events of the previous night were definitely playing on Maria's mind and she was eagerly anticipating the next time she would be alone with her husband.

"Are they really that good?" she asked Georg, watching as he husband spooned oysters into his mouth. He nodded at her, smiling and asked her if she wanted to try one. She declined, believing it to be acquired taste and, given her wicked, miserable past, one she did not possess.

* * *

After they had finished their meals and paid the bill, Georg led Maria in the direction of the Eiffel Tower. Upon seeing this marvellous monument with her own two eyes, Maria couldn't stop herself from running onto the grassy field and twirling around with her arms outstretched, like she had done a thousand times before on the Untersberg. She knew people were looking at her, but she didn't care. Georg chuckled merrily at his wife's carefree behaviour. God, he hoped she'd never change.

"Do you want to go up?" he asked her.

"Up where?" she asked, clearly puzzled. After Georg explained to Maria that you could in fact ascend France's most famous landmark, Maria agreed and they entered the elevator and began rising into the air.

Maria had to do everything in her power to keep herself from bursting out into song as she saw the entire city of Paris at her feet. To prevent this from happening, she turned the other way and faced Georg instead, holding her arms tight around her husband's waist, as if she was clinging on for dear life; though this was far from case.

"It's so beautiful, here Georg," she sighed, her breath hitching as tears of joy sparkled in her eyes. "Thank you for bringing me here."

* * *

**Sorry it took so long guys, but I had a lot of family stuff happening and it's been really hard to try and find any time to write. Nevertheless I hope you liked it. Please leave me a comment. **

**P.S. Did anyone notice the 'Darling Lili' reference?**


	3. Chapter 3

As their honeymoon progressed, Georg noticed several things about his new bride. For one, he noticed she was much more at ease during the times they spent outdoors, doing things such as walking by the Seine or visiting places such as The Luxembourg Gardens or Monet's Garden, than when they were inside visiting museums.

That hardly surprised him; he knew Maria had grown up with a fierce love of nature. What did surprise him however was how easily she seemed to be slipping into her new role as Baroness von Trapp. He too had noticed the slight changes in this such as her wardrobe; though it was now full of clothes that were much more suited to a married woman, each outfit still managed to possess it's own unique 'Maria' flair.

Her manners had changed slightly too. She did her best to keep a lid on the fiery temper they both knew she possessed and she was less spontaneous in her gestures, actions and behaviours. At least in public. When she and Georg were by themselves, the passionate woman she was rapidly becoming was unleashed.

* * *

They went into Paris for most of their meals. One day, while having lunch at a quaint little cafe on the Champs-Elysees, Georg excused himself to use the restrooms and buy the daily newspaper and Maria was left alone.

She looked at the iconic Arc de Triomphe that she and her husband had just visited. She had thought when she took the job of governess that her horizons had widened, but when she and Georg had arrived in Paris she saw that she really didn't know the meaning of the word.

The cafe was empty, except for a couple of other couples, both around the same age as her and a man sitting in the corner. He was reading a newspaper, so Maria wasn't able to see his face.

She turned her attention to the menu, but realised she was lost because it was all written in French. She knew the simple phrases in the language, like 'hello', 'goodbye', 'please' and 'thank-you' and was able to order her tea and breakfast the way she liked it, but she relied on Georg to help her order her meals any other time.

"Oh, help," she muttered to herself, not even realising she was speaking in German.

"Do you need any assistance, Fraulein?" asked a voice.

"No, thank you," she murmured. It took her a second to register that the person speaking to her was talking in German, but when she did, she laid down the menu and looked up to see the man who was sitting by himself standing next to her.

"You speak German?" she asked.

He nodded. "It's the language of my homeland."

"So, you're German?"

"Austrian actually," the man replied.

"Me too," she said, holding her hand out. "I'm Maria."

"Nikolas," he answered. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Maria. And now if you don't mind my asking what are you doing in the middle of Paris unaccompanied, unable to speak the language?"

"I'm waiting for my husband," she said simply.

Nikolas' eyes widened. "Really? I wouldn't have believed you to be a married woman, unless you had just told me."

"Sometimes I can't believe it myself," she sighed.

* * *

Nikolas sat down at the table next to Maria and they began a conversation. A couple minutes in they were interrupted by Georg's reappearance. "Hello, darling," he said giving Maria a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Georg?" said Nikolas. "Is that you?"

"Nikolas?" Georg straightened up and looked at the man.

Maria was now staring, confused beyond belief as the two men approached each other and embraced one another fiercely. "You know each other?" she asked. She hadn't noticed before, but now that she looked more closely, she realised that this man was the same age as Georg.

Georg nodded as he sat down. "Yes. We were friends at school, because we both wanted to join the Navy when we grew up."

"Well, you were interested in submarines; I was more focused on ships."

"Until you met Gabrielle," Georg said.

"Ah yes, Gabrielle," Nikolas sighed. The last time I saw you was at our wedding fifteen years ago. Agathe was pregnant I believe and Liesl was just about to turn two."

"You remember my family very well," Georg said, smiling.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked. "We may not live in the same country, but I keep up to date with my friends' news. I heard about Agathe's passing. I'm truly sorry Georg."

"Thank you," Georg said. "And it's alright. At least now. Maria just happened to arrive at my home and managed to bring me back to life."

* * *

The three ordered their meals and continued the conversation. Nikolas told Maria and Georg all about his French wife and how they had moved back to her hometown of Lyon and now had three beautiful children; Rudy, Danielle and Michel.

Georg filled his friend in on everything that had happened over the past fifteen years talking about each of his children in detail, brushing over Agathe's death and ending with his meeting Maria and how they fell in love.

Maria told Nikolas about her past, from her childhood, to her years at Nonnberg Abbey to how she came upon the von Trapps and found a whole new life with them.

By the time they had all finished eating Georg and Nikolas had re-established their friendship and Maria and Nikolas were as thick as thieves.

"I'll tell you what," Nikolas said. "If you two get a spare moment, come and visit us at Lyon. I know Gabrielle would be thrilled to see you again Georg and I'm certain she will love you Maria."

Given Maria's love for the great outdoors, and the fact that she and Georg had been talking about going to the countryside for a weekend, they accepted the invitation and, after Nikolas had supplied them with his address, they parted ways, resolving to meet Nikolas and his family at the end of the week.

* * *

That night Georg decided to treat his wife and surprised her with an after-dinner visit to the theatre. They would be seeing _Pygmalion_. Georg had never seen it before and he knew Maria hadn't, so it was a new experience for both of them.

Maria loved the play and kept thanking Georg over and over, showering him with light kisses during intermission.

"I thought it would be about the Greek mythological character," she whispered to him just before the curtain went up to begin the second act.

Georg was a little surprised that his wife even knew that Pygmalion was a character from Greek mythology, but he knew that she was a quick learner and that her world had broadened immensely since she became involved with his family.

"No, my love," he said, smiling as he softly rubbed her hair.

* * *

"There's only one thing I can think of that would've made that play any better," Maria said as she and Georg left the theatre and headed back towards their hotel.

"What would that be, my love?" enquired Georg.

"If it was a musical," Maria was practically squealing now.

Georg couldn't help smiling. He had never been very partial for musical theatre, even before Agathe's death. Yes, he could appreciate it, but he had always favoured classical compositions or folk songs. However, somehow his wife's idea seemed to fit _Pygmalion_ perfectly.

"I see what you mean," he chuckled. "It would be lovely."

"Wouldn't that be _loverly?"_ she corrected him, barely able to keep a straight face.

"Yes exactly," he said, kissing the crown of her head.

Maria couldn't stop herself from giggling.

* * *

Despite the fact that the end of summer was approaching, there was a warm breeze blowing in from the balcony outside and the fire, although now reduced to nothing more than some glowing embers was adding to the heat inside the hotel suite.

Noticing a rise in his body temperature as the couple began kissing each other wildly; an act that had somehow become part of their night time routine, Georg reached down and began to undo the buttons of Maria's jacket, in an attempt to allow her to cool off. It was a beautiful golden-rod suit, and it matched her hair perfectly. They had seen it in a dress boutique about a week ago and he had insisted on buying it for her.

Maria, it seemed though, didn't have any concerns about being too warm; for when Georg undid the final button and the jacket fell open he noticed his wife was not wearing a blouse underneath.

Georg couldn't conceal his surprise and his eyes widened and a smile crossed his face. Like a thousand times before Maria couldn't resist. She rose up onto her tiptoes and whispered "I'll be waiting for you," in her husband's ear, before disappearing into the bedroom.

Georg just smiled and ran after her.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day they attempted to call the villa to see how everybody back in Salzburg was going. Unfortunately, when they went down to the foyer to use the hotel's pay telephone they were met with some disappointing news.

"Out of order," Georg said, irritated as he returned the receiver to it's cradle.

"What a shame," Maria sighed sadly. She had promised Gretl and Marta that she would do everything in her power to be in touch with them throughout her honeymoon. After all, they were so young and she was the only mother they had ever known and they wanted to make sure she wouldn't disappear again.

"After you saying that you would rather spend your honeymoon contacting the children than experiencing Paris with me?" Georg chuckled playfully.

"No," Maria said. "But I promised the little ones that I would try to keep in contact with them. I may be married to you know, but I'm not sure Marta and Gretl are one-hundred percent convinced in their hearts I'll be here forever."

Georg smiled. One of the things he loved most about Maria was the way she loved his children as if they were her own.

"Well, who is to say you will return?" Georg said, continuing with the playful tone. She raised her eyebrow at him, unsure of exactly where his thoughts were wandering. "I might keep you locked up here in the city of love, alone with me for the rest of our lives."

"That doesn't seem like such a bad idea," she giggled.

* * *

But alas, they could not have done that even if there hadn't been seven impatient children waiting for them back in Austria. Georg read the newspaper every day, and every day their suspicions grew stronger about what was taking place in their homeland. Yes, each day made one thing clearer: the Anschluss was on the move.

"It is coming, isn't it?" Maria sighed, watching her husband fold up the newspaper at breakfast on Thursday.

"Yes," he said in a grim tone. "Maria, I hope you know what this means for us."

"Not the details," she said; her voice solemn. "But I want you to know that whatever happens, Georg, I'll be there for you. I'm with you."

"Well, if Austria is invaded, the Nazis will almost certainly want me to join their Navy. I would not dream of accepting, but I know that refusal will be fatal for all of us." He raised his face and looked her straight in the eye. Maria knew how serious the situation was simply from the look on her husband's face, but even with that she wasn't prepared for his next words.

"Maria, I fear if the Nazis request me to join their naval forces that we may have to leave Austria."

"Oh, I see," she said, her voice quietening. The prospect of fleeing her homeland, right after settling into a brand new life; a life that six months she would not have comprehended living in her wildest dreams did more than unsettle Maria. It flat out terrified her. But she knew if they had to do it, they would do it. And, like everything else new in her life since her engagement, she knew that with Georg beside her everything would be alright.

"Well, as I said, I'll be with you every step of the way if that has to happen."

* * *

That night, before their departure to Lyon for the weekend, they went out to dinner again. Having spent the entire afternoon packing, they were both exhausted and felt they deserved a treat. Although, if you had asked either of them, they would've said being in Paris with the love of their life was the most amazing treat possible.

At the restaurant, Maria noticed that Georg seemed to have a fondness for oysters, as he ordered them again. She wondered briefly if it was because of all the time he had spent on the sea. Like before, he offered her one; but instead of declining she decided to try to her luck and accepted.

She could see Georg's delight, subtle as it was, as he spooned a small helping onto her plate. "Thank you," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek. She dipped her spoon into the oyster and raised it to her mouth.

"What's the verdict?" Georg asked her when she had finished.

Maria paused, as if thinking very carefully about how to phrase her response. "Well," she began. "I'm glad I tried them. But as I suspected, they appear to be an acquired taste."

"They are indeed," Georg said, chuckling. "But I've been eating oysters since I was a child. My parents insisted that my sister and I received an upbringing fit our family's standing in Austrian nobility."

"And they thought feeding you oysters would assist with that?" she said, giggling mildly.

"I guess so," he replied. "But unlike me, having to eat them throughout our childhood gave my sister a strong dislike for them. I know Hede stopped eating them as soon as she left home. "

Maria smiled as she thought about Georg's sister. Although she had only met the woman once; at the wedding, she had immediately felt a connection to her new sister-in-law. Despite being nearly thirty years her senior, Hede had a lively and bright personality, which Maria had believed was because of the fact she was an artist, and so the two had got on brilliantly.

* * *

When they left the restaurant after dinner, they decided to take a walk, since the night was relatively warm. They found their way to a small park and sat down on a small wooden bench. Georg wrapped his arm lazily around Maria, resting his hand on her shoulder. He sighed as she relaxed and leaned back into his embrace.

Maria was obviously more tired than she realised, because soon she drifting off to sleep in her husband's arms. Georg smiled when he looked down and saw his wife fast asleep, her head resting against his chest. 'She looks beautiful doing anything,' thought Georg. Like every other time when he had encountered his wife asleep, Georg dared not disturb her, but soon, he found himself growing tired.

Not wanting to spend all night on a park bench, especially when they had a long journey ahead of them tomorrow, he lightly kissed Maria's forehead. Her eyelids fluttered open and she gazed up at his face.

"Bonsoir Baroness," he said, flashing her the trademark half-smile of his he knew she wouldn't be able to resist. "Why don't we go back to the hotel and get a proper night sleep before tomorrow?"

She smiled and nodded. He helped her up from the bench and then the two of them walked back to their hotel in each other's arms.

* * *

**I'm so sorry about the wait. I was up at my grandparents (no net connection) and then I got writer's block. But I know exactly where the next couple of chapters are going and they shouldn't take me nearly as long. **


	5. Chapter 5

Maria slept through most of the journey to Lyon the next day, waking up just as the train pulled into the station early on Friday afternoon. Nikolas was waiting for them on the platform, and after a hurried greeting, he ushered them to his car and they set off for his estate.

Georg sat in the front of the car next to his old friend, leaving Maria, who still hadn't completely woken up from the rest she had had on the way over, to have the back seat all to herself. Had the ride to Nikolas' estate been any longer than it was, he suspected his wife would probably have fallen asleep again. But she awoke just as Nikolas parked the car in the driveway, and was immediately spellbound at the sight she saw.

Even taking everything she'd witnessed on her honeymoon into account, the sight that met Maria's eyes was unlike anything she had ever seen before. The von Trapp villa might be similar to this house in that they were both country estates, but apart from that they had nothing much else in common. Nikolas' home was a proper French chateau, built out of stone and concrete that looked as though it had been dropped in the middle of a lush green valley.

Inside the house was all that different from the von Trapp villa though, except maybe for the fact that it wasn't quite as lavishly decorated.

The family's butler, Bernard took their hats and coats when they stepped inside the foyer, and then, almost immediately a woman, who Maria could only assume was Gabrielle opened the door of a nearby room and raced out to greet them.

Although she was coping better each day, Maria was still finding it hard to measure up to the women of European aristocracy. And despite knowing that in her husband's mind, she exceeded all expectations, women like Baroness Schraeder made her super aware of being the right type of wife for Georg.

Gabrielle was no exception. With creamy-white skin, light blue eyes and raven-black waves that ended just below her shoulders, Maria was convinced Nikolas' wife was the living version of Snow White. Had she not walked in with a broad smile planted on her face and greeted the visitors to her house with so much enthusiasm, Maria would have felt more intimidated than she had since she and Georg became engaged.

Like her husband, Gabrielle spoke fluent German and greeted her guests in their native tongue. "Oh, Georg, I'm so glad to see you. And it's wonderful to meet you Maria, I'm sure we'll get along very well."

"I hope so," Maria whispered, more for her own benefit.

"You know I never thought Georg here would ever remarry. He never was the same since Agathe passed away," she continued. "You my dear must have truly done something good to change his mind."

"That's what everybody keeps telling me," Maria sighed.

"I wonder where the children are?" Nikolas wondered.

"They were upstairs in the nursery last time I saw them," Gabrielle said. Turning around, she called out, "Children, can you please come downstairs? Our guests have arrived."

With a clatter, the doors on the upper level opened and three children, two boys and a girl came racing downstairs in a manner as opposite as was possible from the way the von Trapp children had acted on the day Maria first met them. Looking sideways at Georg she noticed his eyes were clouded and surmised that he was remembering what he had put his children through after their mother died, and still regretted his actions.

* * *

Once the introductions had concluded, the housekeeper, Camille led Maria and Georg over to their room on the guest wing, where they began unpacking before rejoining their hosts downstairs.

While Georg and Nikolas caught up on old times, Maria and Gabrielle became better acquainted, getting along marvellously. Then, when they were deep in conversation the children came running in from the backyard, all three dripping with mud, both of the buys looking very pleased and Danielle looking rather upset, trailing her doll behind her.

"Mother," she wailed, "The boys threw Amelie in the mud. Look at her." She held out the muddy doll for her mother to inspect.

"I'll deal with them in a minute," Gabrielle sighed. "For now, why don't you just go find Camille? I'm sure she'll help you wash off Amelie."

"Wait," said Maria as Danielle was halfway out the door. "Don't bother Camille. I'll help you." And with that she got up and, taking the girl's muddy hand in hers, led her out the door.

Danielle led the way to the main bathroom and Maria set the bathtub to fill while she helped the girl clean her hands.

"We might have to get you another outfit she said, eyeing Danielle's soiled blouse and mud-covered blue skirt. "Put your clothes in there with your doll and I'll race up and get you another dress."

"Thank you," said Danielle. "Up the stairs, third door on the left."

Maria nodded and scurried out of the room. When she arrived back in the bathroom five minutes later, Danielle was leaning over the bathtub in her underwear, squeezing the excess mud off her doll.

"Let me do that," Maria insisted. "You go ahead and get dressed." She tossed the girl a pale yellow skirt with flowers and a green blouse.

"How old are you?" she asked Danielle as she finished removing as much mud as possible from the doll and began washing her hands in the sink.

"I'm nine," Danielle said. "Rudy's twelve and Michel is six. Thank you again for helping me with Amelie. I wouldn't have thought that a Baroness would do these sorts of things."

Maria smiled. "Well, Danielle, I'm not just any Baroness."

* * *

At five to seven, just before dinnertime, Georg was waiting patiently for his wife in the foyer so he could escort her to the dining room, where Nikolas, Gabrielle and the children were waiting.

'What could be taking her so long?' he wondered. Even after their marriage his wife had never possessed a strong sense of vanity, and he had been waiting down here for nearly ten minutes, so he found the fact that Maria had not yet appeared strangely puzzling.

However a second later she appeared on the upper level and began gliding down towards him. The sight of her in a floor length black gown that sparkled when it caught the light, with diamonds glittering on her ears rendered him speechless and he momentarily forgot that two minutes earlier he had been impatient about where she was. He reached out and took her hand in his, placing a soft kiss on her lips before leading her into the dining room.

* * *

When they collapsed into their bedroom three and a half hours later they both agreed they would head straight to bed, seeing as they were both so tired after their long of travelling, catching up with friends and cleaning dolls. As usual, Georg offered the bathroom to Maria first and she disappeared inside, blowing him a kiss before closing the door. Georg could hear her humming over the crackle of the fire as he sat down and watched the flames. He was truly amazed at the power she held over him, as well as the way she was becoming more and more willing to explore the passionate side of her personality that little over a month ago, she didn't know she possessed.

He was disturbed from his thoughts with a crashing sound. Maria was standing in the bathroom doorway, her hand resting on the doorframe. There was a look in her eyes, Georg could tell; she was on a mission.

Although he hadn't expected for anything to happen before they retired for the night, seeing his wife like this had given Georg a motive of his own. Maybe sleep could wait. Abandoning his seat by the fire, he walked over to Maria. She was dressed in a pink nightgown and a violet chiffon dressing gown that Georg hadn't seen her wear before. He almost found her more desirable looking like this than at dinner.

Resting his hands on her shoulders, he lifted his face up, moving his lips all along her face, beginning at her temple and working his way down her cheek and neck, all the way to her décolletage. Maria closed her eyes and let her head roll back as her husband covered her collarbone with kisses. She threaded her fingers through his hair and he let out a moan which sent her desires running wild.

"Wait," she sighed, her voice heavy. "I have a better idea." With that, she untangled herself from him and undid the tie of her dressing gown, letting it fall to the floor. She then slipped the straps of her nightgown down over her shoulders and off her arms entirely, letting the garment join her dressing gown on the floor.

Georg's eyes widened at seeing his wife dressed in nothing but her undergarments and after winking at Maria and flashing her a smile that never failed to melt her heart, stripped down to his underwear and singlet, before crushing Maria's lips with his own and sending them both toppling onto the bed.

"Was this your 'better idea?'" he asked playfully between kisses.

"More or less, yes," she murmured back.

"I think it's a brilliant idea," he sighed, pulling her closer to his body. "I love you Maria, my angel. More than you know."

"I love you too, Captain," she smiled.

* * *

Soon enough the remaining items of clothing had been discarded and there was nothing but skin between them; and after their most intense bout of lovemaking since the first night of the honeymoon, they fell asleep peacefully in each other's arms.

* * *

**Okay yes, the bedroom scene was influence heavily by 'Darling Lili' but I tried to make it as different as possible. I also hope the scene between Danielle and Maria doesn't seem too awkward; my main goal was trying to show the differences between the von Trapps' children when she first arrives and where the family is now in terms of that. Regardless I hope you enjoyed it. Chapter 6 should be up soon. **


	6. Chapter 6

Maria felt her horizons broaden even further during the weekend she and Georg stayed with Nikolas' family. True, she had grown up on a farm and found refuge in the hills as well as the fact that the von Trapp villa would have been considered by most to be a countryside dwelling. But Lyon was entirely different.

The family spent the whole of Saturday morning showing every inch of their estate off to their guests. The grounds of the von Trapp villa were all neat and ordered to perfection, while Nikolas' estate was not quite as rigid, but beautiful all the same. It matched it's owners the same way her home matched it's inhabitants. Though it still felt a little surreal for her to refer to the villa as her home; but in her heart she had never felt like she belonged anywhere more.

Nikolas and Gabrielle didn't mind at all that the couple they were hosting were on their honeymoon, giving their guests plenty of time just for themselves, during which Georg and Maria might as well have been back in the hotel suite in Paris.

In addition, to exploring the breathtaking French countryside with Georg, Maria was more than happy to occupy the children when the situation required, to the continual amazement of her husband and their hosts. They took great delight in pointing out which pony was theirs, as well as why they had chosen that particular one and so on and so forth, as well as telling her what their favourite colours were and what they liked to eat for breakfast.

Georg smiled as he witnessed these encounters, marvelling at how; once again his wife was so natural with children. Children that weren't even her own. 'Whatever would I have done without her?' he wondered.

* * *

"So, tell me Maria," Gabrielle said during Saturday's lunch. "Before you met Georg, did you always want to be a nun? Because, forgive me, but you hardly seem like the type of person suited to life in the convent."

"Oh yes. Ever since I was young," Maria replied.

"Why then did you get chosen to be the governess for Georg's children?" Nikolas asked.

"Well, I did go to teachers college," Maria said. "But I think it was mostly because I didn't fit in at the Abbey, no matter how hard I tried. I was late for everything, was always bursting out into song and I couldn't stop saying things about my feelings. The Reverend Mother thought that experiencing life outside the Abbey might help me when I returned."

"I can't really imagine Georg's children needing assistance with their studies," Nikolas said. "Given the sense of discipline their father possesses they probably could manage on their own."

"Most of the time they did," Maria said. "Although, there was this one day when Louisa pretended she was ill so she could stay in bed and do her lessons," Maria smiled at the memory. "I think she got Brigitta or someone to put the thermometer under the hot water. But I could tell she was faking it."

"I don't remember that," Georg said.

"You were in Vienna," Maria said. "In fact it was the day you arrived back home. I remember because I told Louisa that if she really was ill, then she couldn't come out on the rowboat with us. That was enough to change her mind."

"Ah, I see," he said. The mere mention of that afternoon was enough for his mind to start whirling into flashbacks of that fateful day. Similarly to how he'd responded yesterday when he first saw Nikolas' children he inwardly cringed and cursed himself, thinking about just how cold-hearted he'd been before Maria had entered his life. She had changed him. He was the one who had had medals awarded to him, been decorated by the Emperor and yet she was the one whose soul was pure as snow. How could he ever be worthy of her?

* * *

I didn't know you had gone to teacher's college," Georg said to Maria as they arrived in their room that night.

"Well, Captain," she teased. "We may be married, but there are still a lot of things you don't know about me."

"I know enough, and that's the main thing," he said, leaning in to kiss her. "I could see Louisa pretending to be ill so she could stay in bed all day. The children frightened their tenth governess off when Louisa put a bug in her salad."

"Yes, Louisa seems to be the mastermind behind all the awful tricks they play on people," Maria said. "Though surely a bug seems fairly harmless. You do know that it was a frog that they put in my pocket, plus I've heard stories about snakes and spiders and I think I remember Kurt saying they once put glue on Fraulein Josephine's toothbrush. A bug seems like nothing against all of that, even if it was in her salad."

"Well it wasn't just a bug," Georg said, hoping he could tell Maria this without her shrieking and waking the entire household. "It was a cockroach."

Maria's expression was more less what Georg had expected; her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "A cockroach!" she exclaimed, failing to keep her voice low.

Georg closed his eyes and nodded. "Bigger than your thumb," he added.

That time Maria really did scream. As quickly as he could, Georg clamped a hand over her mouth to drown out the noise.

This was one emotion Georg had not yet seen his wife display. Yes, he knew she was frightened after the incident at the party before she ran away, but that fear was more of a fear of the unknown, which was different to the fear she was displaying at the moment.

"I'm sorry Georg," she sobbed. "But I really can't stand cockroaches. There were always millions of them crawling around on my uncle's farm. They used to infest to loft that I slept in, and when I would mention it to him, he simply grunted and told me I had to put up with it."

By now, she was crying even more as the mere mention of her childhood years spent with her uncle always caused her to get very emotional. Sighing, Georg, took her in his arms, drew their bodies closer and lightly kissed away the tears running down her cheeks.

"Would you have walked out if Louisa had put a cockroach in your salad?" Georg asked her.

She took a deep breath. "No. I love the children too much to do that to them," she said. "I love you too much too."

Georg was going to tell her that that wasn't what he meant, but her words moved him so much that he abandoned that plan and leaned down and kissed her instead.

"I love you, too," he sighed.

* * *

On Sunday morning after breakfast the family all headed into town to go to church for Sunday Mass. As Maria and Georg were also attending, Camille stayed behind at the house; she had never been very religious, so she usually only attended to keep an eye on the children, something that Maria was happy to watch over Rudy, Danielle and Michel. She was already doing that anyway, simply because she loved it so much.

Mass prompted the children to bombard Maria with questions about what life as a nun was really like. Danielle was shocked to learn that they cut their hair and abandoned their worldly possessions, Rudy seemed stunned at the extent that they prayed; he could barely survive praying in church once a week. Michel on the other hand, being so young, wanted to know why nuns were only allowed to sing songs about Christ.

"That's just the way they run things in Abbey's," Maria told them. "Although, the Reverend Mother was actually the person who taught me the song about my favourite things."

"So, that song, doesn't really capture the things you yourself like?" Georg asked.

"Oh, no," Maria laughed. "The Reverend Mother had her own verses. The version I sung to the children is full of my own lyrics, about my own favourite things. It's just the same tune."

"Can you teach it to us?" Danielle asked.

"Please?" begged Michel.

So that's exactly what they did.

* * *

Monday morning arrived and after a late breakfast, when their bags were all packed, Maria and Georg bid Nikolas and his family farewell. Despite the children's protests, Nikolas himself was the only person who accompanied the couple to the railway station, along with Bernard, who drove the car.

Nikolas helped Georg load the luggage onto the train carriage while Maria went ahead and found a seat for her and her husband. Nikolas then exited the carriage, but promised to wait on the platform until the train had disappeared to see his friends off.

* * *

"So, we're going back to Paris then?" Maria asked. She reclined into Georg's arms as the train pulled out of the station.

"Er – no," he replied.

"No?" she sat up and looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"No," he confirmed. "I'm taking you to Marseille. I want to show you my special place. Is that alright?"

"The ocean?" her eyes were wide with amazement. "I've never seen the ocean. That's more than alright." She sighed and leaned back into his embrace once more. "Oh, Georg, I love you so much that it hurts sometimes."

* * *

**Okay, I'm so SO sorry that this took so long, but I hope you guys like it. The reference to the Reverend Mother teaching her 'My Favourite Things' was the fact that that is how it works in the musical. And there's another Julie Andrews movie reference in the chapter somewhere. I'll leave you to find it.**

** Please keep the comments coming. Auf Wiedersehen.**


	7. Chapter 7

They arrived in Marseille later that day. After a light lunch at a small seaside cafe, Georg took his wife down to the coast to see the Mediterranean Sea.

Maria's eyes widened as she stared out at the shimmering blue carpet of sea before her. Never in her life had she viewed a body of water that she couldn't see the end of. And the simple sight of the waves rolling, over and over and finally breaking made her want to burst into song then and there.

"Oh, Georg," she sighed, leaning back against her husband. "It's beautiful. Thank you so much for bringing me here, as well as everywhere else you've taken me."

"My pleasure, Baroness," he said light-heartedly.

The sea breeze filled her lungs and whipped through her hair as she marvelled at what exactly this meant. Georg had spent around half of his life and certainly the entirety of her life in environments like this. She knew just how much his years in the Navy had meant to him and for him to share it with her only proved how important he thought she was; she knew he wouldn't share something like this with just anybody. Just like she had taken him to the Untersberg, during their engagement, Georg had deemed Maria worthy of seeing his special place. This alone gave her a brand new respect for her husband.

"Would you like to go swimming?" Georg's voice brought Maria back from her daydreams.

She turned around sharply, the expression on her face showing anxiety, desire and confusion all at the same time. "Georg," she said, willing herself not to cry. "I love you and trust you with all my heart, but I've never even seen the sea before today. How on Earth do you expect me to swim in it?"

"I won't leave your side, darling," he assured her. Then, snapping into the authoritative voice he had used when they first met, he said loudly: "No one goes down on Captain von Trapp's watch."

Maria giggled, but her eyes turned sad again. "Even if I wanted to I couldn't," she said softly. "I haven't owned a bathing suit in my entire life."

"Well," Georg smiled. "We'll have to see about that, won't we?"

* * *

Maria was just about to Georg what he was talking about, but she didn't have a chance, because he took her hand and led her back the way they had come.

When they reached the cafe, Georg insisted that Maria sit down, relax and wait for him while he ran an errand. Although Maria was pretty sure she knew what this errand consisted of, she agreed and took a seat at a table, while Georg disappeared.

It just so happened that around the corner from the cafe was a shop that sold exactly what Georg was looking for: swimwear.

Having been intimate with Maria for this period of time, over their engagement and honeymoon, brief as it had been, had made Georg very familiar with his wife's clothing sizes. He was therefore able to select a swimsuit for her quite easily; in fact the hardest part of the process was deciding what she would like and what would be right for her.

He finally decided on a powder blue suit with a small V-shaped neckline that exposed some skin, but nothing Maria hadn't shown before. It would also cover her back, but at the same time show off her legs.

Pleased with his choice, he headed to the men's section; while he had planned on going to the ocean with Maria, he had not planned on swimming and therefore had not packed his swimsuit, and therefore bought one for himself.

* * *

Maria was staring off at the blue sea when Georg rounded the corner and arrived back at the cafe. He placed the bag on the table in front of her with a flourish. "Your very first bathing suit, Madame," he said playfully.

Maria clapped her hands and giggled, before reaching into the bag and pulling out the swimming costume. Despite being relatively modest, the garment was still something she would never have imagined herself wearing this time last year, but her worries had vanished since becoming engaged and the past few weeks had only made her more confident and she was quick to accept her husband's gift.

"Oh, Georg," she said, hugging the swimsuit against her body. "It's beautiful. I love it." She tilted her head up and looked her husband directly in the eye. "Thank you."

"You're most welcome, darling," Georg replied. "Now would you like to go for a swim?"

Maria's eyes were bright and she was grinning as she nodded her head.

* * *

Within an hour they were both down on the seashore. Wanting to play along, Maria shot off into the sea like a rocket, although given that this was her first time in the ocean she didn't go in very far, stopping only a few metres in. However, before she turn back and show off her actions to her husband, Georg had swooped in, picking her up and tossing her playfully over his shoulder.

Maria giggled madly, beating her fists playfully on Georg's back, but to no avail. Instead he started spinning around and it wasn't long before they both tumbled headlong into the water.

When Georg surface his wife was nowhere to be seen and he was about to start panicking, when Maria popped her head up from under the water, flinging her wet hair out of her eyes. Given that this was the first time she had gone swimming in an environment like this, Georg was worried that she might have been pushed over the edge, but his worries vanished when she smiled at him and said she enjoyed it.

The whole experience of playing around in the water wasn't that different from the kiss they had shared in the rain, when Maria stopped to think about it. But in her heart she could tell she had come a long way since the first night of the honeymoon.

* * *

But every day, things got grimmer. The Nazis closed in on Austria more every day. And despite being on his honeymoon and feeling like he had been re-born the absolute last thing Georg wanted was to be out of his homeland when it was invaded.

About a day and a half after arriving back in Paris from Marseille they decided that it would be best to cut the honeymoon short by a week, and make their way back to Austria the next day. And even though she tried to put on a brave face, Georg could tell that Maria was sad about the fact that they were leaving Paris so soon.

So, on the night before they were to leave for Austria, Georg decided on a little surprise for his wife. On their return from Marseille it occurred to him that his wife had not yet been dancing with him on their honeymoon. So he decided they would do just that.

* * *

I'll be out in a moment, darling," Maria called out to her husband through the closed door of the bathroom as she fastened her pearl earrings. Even now, having been bathed in all the comforts her new lifestyle with Georg could provide, Maria was still able to get herself ready with minimal glances in the mirror. She supposed it was a result of living in the Abbey for the past four years.

Georg was standing at the end of the bed and looking out towards the skyline of Paris that was visible through the doors out to the balcony when he heard the door to the bathroom open. He turned around to see Maria standing in the doorway, the light from the bathroom bathing her in a warm, golden glow. It illuminated her entire figure and Georg was able to see her fully. And the sight of her, in a stunning black dress rendered him speechless.

It wasn't like the other black dress; the one she had worn at Lyon. While that one was full-length and glittered when it caught the light, this one was made from velvet and ended just below her knees. But that wasn't the main difference that caught Georg's eye. Unlike any garment he had seen her wear before, this dress had a plunging V-shaped neckline that showed off more of her skin – certainly more than she'd ever dared to show off before when they went out in public.

"Do you like it?" she asked. Somehow, her voice seemed to be both innocent and seductive, and her words barely registered with Georg after seeing his wife like this. His mouth couldn't form a response and all he was able to manage was the slightest nod of his head.

She smiled and walked over to him. "Georg," she said sweetly, kissing him on the cheek. "It's just me."

Georg raised his eyebrows as though he didn't quite believe her. "I wouldn't have thought I ever see you wearing anything that well...daring out in public."

She laughed. "Oh, Georg, please. After the other day at the beach in Marseille, I'm more than happy to go out looking like this. And I know that everything will be fine as long as I'm with you. Because I love you." She kissed his cheek again, letting her mouth linger a second longer than it had before.

"And I love you. Now, shall we go?" he asked, offering her his arms.

"Where?" she asked. "You still haven't told me."

"Dancing."

* * *

They practically stumbled into their hotel suite as soon as the door was opened. Maria flopped down on the bed and kicked off her ivory shoes, stretching her aching feet. She was still growing accustomed to wearing high heels. Dancing all night with Georg certainly hadn't helped.

When Georg exited the bathroom, having been practically forced by Maria to use it before she did, he noticed that his wife was fast asleep, still wearing that utterly beautiful velvet black dress. When he sat down next to her, he leaned over ever so carefully and undid the delicate buttons.

This simple action caused Maria to stir and slowly she turned herself over to face him. Smiling, she let him slide the dress down over her shoulders and off her body, before tossing it away completely. Then, with a soft kiss on his lips, she fell asleep in his arms.

* * *

All too soon their honeymoon had come to an end and their last day in Paris had arrived. Laden with souvenirs and presents, each one individually chosen for the child it was for, they made their way back to Gare du Nord. In addition to all that, they had all of the luggage they had brought along as well.

Maria felt like it was a completely different person leaving Paris today than the one that had arrived here a month ago. The woman in the pale pink skirt suit could not possibly be the young postulant who only six months ago was having so much trouble fitting in with the confines of Abbey way of life.

* * *

The day passed uneventfully for the most part. And although Maria was sad at having to leave Paris behind, she couldn't wait to get back to the villa. A place she could now call home in every sense of the word.

She decided to wear the golden-rod suit the next day, for when they would arrive back in Salzburg.

"Well, darling," Georg said when she walked out of the bathroom cubicle. "I hope for the sake of the children you are wearing a blouse underneath that jacket today."

"Don't worry, Georg," she said, leaning over to where he sat and planting a kiss on his cheek. "You have nothing to worry about; your children will be fine."

"Our children, Maria," he said, smiling as he leaned over and softly kissed her lips.

"That's right," she breathed as she sat down in the seat and placed her head on his shoulder. "Our children."

* * *

**Again, I'm sorry this took so long. (I never thought the honeymoon fic would be quite this hard.) My immense thanks to the ladies on TSOM Fanfiction and The Sound of Music Proboard for their help and support. There is still the homecoming chapter to come and since that is pretty much a direct translation of the film I should have it done quicker. I say that every time though, so who knows if it'll ever happen? Hopefully it will. I love you guys. **


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